Delhi govt to take over toilet blocks, civic bodies cry foul

After taking over the maintenance of all important roads from the BJP-led municipal corporations in the city, the Sheila Dikshit government has made further inroads into the jurisdiction of the civic bodies.

The city government has decided to transfer the maintenance of 214 toilet blocks, situated in several JJ clusters across the city, to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), which falls under the direct control of the Delhi government.

The decision was taken at a coordination meeting chaired by the director of local bodies on February 22.

The move assumes significance since Assembly elections are due in Delhi later this year. Also, after tasting defeat in the civic body elections last year, the Congress government is in an overdrive to regain its votebank in the illegal colonies and slum clusters.

As per the minutes of the meeting, the toilet blocks have to be transferred to the government by March 31. "It has been decided that for the purpose of carrying out uniform maintenance and care of all the toilet blocks falling in the JJ clusters, which are presently under the control of the municipal corporations, they shall be transferred to the DUSIB. The possession should be handed over by March 31 so that from April 1 onwards, custody and maintenance of the same can be looked after by the DUSIB," read the minutes of the meeting.

In 2012, all big roads measuring 60 feet or above were taken away from the corporation and placed under the state government's Public Works Department. The corporation members had vehemently opposed the move. The councillors have decided to take up the matter with the L-G.